SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — It’s not uncommon for pitchers to train in a facility in the offseason. For all the available options, Michael Fulmer is especially fond of PitchingWRX in Oklahoma City.
He is, after all, a co-owner.
Fulmer, who turns 33 next week, is one of several non-roster invitees competing for a spot on the Giants’ Opening Day roster. His résumé features a 2016 Rookie of the Year Award and an All-Star appearance in ‘17, but he’s endured a laundry list of surgeries over the last decade and long since transitioned from starter to reliever.
In Scottsdale, he’s one of many relievers fighting to win a job out of camp. Aside from a brief cameo on the majors, he spent most of last year with the Triple-A affiliates of the Red Sox, Mariners, Cubs and Royals. In Oklahoma City, he’s an invaluable resource to one of the country’s up-and-coming pitching facilities.
“We wouldn’t be where we are without him,” said Alex Marney, the owner of PitchingWRK.
Fulmer’s contributions to PitchingWRX (pronounced “Pitching Works”) are on hold for the time being as he fights for a job on the Opening Day roster. Manager Tony Vitello described the Giants’ bullpen situation as “wide open” at the beginning of spring training. There might be a spot or two still up for grabs with less than two weeks remaining until Opening Night against the New York Yankees, and Fulmer has positioned himself to be part of the conversations.
The right-hander has made six appearances for San Francisco this spring, allowing two runs over eight innings (2.25 ERA) with 12 strikeouts. His four-seam and sinker velocities have been down compared to last year, but his cutter and curveball still grade out well.
“I’m just thankful for the opportunity, honestly,” Fulmer said. “I’m just here to try to compete. My career has led me on a little bit of a roller coaster ride, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Before arriving in Scottsdale for spring, Fulmer spent the bulk of his winter at PitchingWRX, which he has co-owned along with Marney for about four years. Fulmer and Marney first met in January 2022 through a physical therapist they both knew. The more time Fulmer spent at the facility, which started in 2020, the more he grew to admire Marney’s vision.
One thing led to another. Months after meeting, Fulmer and Marney hashed out an agreement for Fulmer to join the team.
Along with Fulmer, the list of investors with major league experience includes Jackson Jobe, Jordy Mercer and Andrew Heaney. PitchingWRX moved into a new 10,000-square-foot facility several months after Fulmer signed on, the new space including TrackMan bullpens, DARI Motion capture technology and VALD Performance technology. What started as a barn in Piedmont, Oklahoma, while Marney worked as a data analyst for an oil and gas company, is rapidly becoming an established operation.
One of PitchingWRX’s success stories, sure enough, is a Giant whose locker at Scottsdale Stadium resides right next to Fulmer’s.
Right-hander Adrian Houser visited the facility before the 2025 season and rediscovered two ticks of velocity to his fastball, which paved the way for a career year. This past December, Houser signed a two-year, $22 million contract (with a club option) after years of bouncing around different organizations.
“I think the mechanics really helped everything get freed up and everything was moving a lot easier,” Houser said. “Things were coming out a lot better. Overall, that’s what it comes down to.”
Michael Fulmer (left) watches Adrian Houser, who signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the San Francisco Giants this offseason, throw a bullpen. (Photo courtesy of Alex Marney)
To Fulmer, PitchingWRX’s mission statement could be summarized in two words: healthy throwing. Given what Fulmer has endured, it’s no surprise he’s a proponent of that philosophy.
Fulmer tore his meniscus during spring training with the Mets in 2013, and after pitching through swelling that summer, he underwent a second surgery after he re-tore the cartilage. In ‘14, he dealt with bone spurs and chips in his right elbow.
He stayed healthy for the next handful of years, winning AL Rookie of the Year in ‘16 and earning his first All-Star appearance in ‘17 with the Detroit Tigers, but the injuries soon returned.
In September 2017, Fulmer underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery in his right elbow. In September ‘18, Fulmer had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. The following March, Fulmer was dealt the ultimate blow: Tommy John surgery.
Fulmer missed the entire 2019 season and struggled during the COVID-19 shortened ‘20 season (8.78 ERA, 10 starts). He transitioned to the bullpen in ‘21 and excelled with a 2.97 ERA over 69 2/3 innings and recorded 14 saves. Following a block of healthy seasons, he underwent a second Tommy John surgery in October ‘23 and missed the entire ‘24 season.
“It’s always hard, but then again, you can look at it one or two ways,” Fulmer said. “You can look at it like, ‘Man, I got hurt again, another surgery, not going to be able to do what I love to do for a whole year.’ Or, you can look at it as a way to get better. Through all my rehab stuff, I’ve tried to find a way to get better each and every day in different ways other than on the baseball field.”
To hear Fulmer talk about pitching is to understand how he’s managed to maintain a career despite his injuries. There’s a genuine love for the art, the craft. He doesn’t have the same velocity compared to his years in Detroit, but his modus operandi remains the same: get outs. It’s that lived experience that makes Fulmer a valuable resource for the facility.
Marney, a former Oklahoma State baseball player, dived into coaching after graduating, gravitating towards the analytical and mechanical side of pitching. That expertise made PitchingWRX possible, but Marney knows his limits as someone who did not play professionally. That’s where Fulmer comes in.
Michael Fulmer (right) watches Miami Marlins top prospect Thomas White (center) throw a bullpen (Photo courtesy of Alex Marney)
Fulmer knows he will never be one to teach mechanics, given his injury history. Where Fulmer provides value at PitchingWRX is in his understanding of the pro game, which dates back to being selected with the 44th overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft.
“I think Michael would be one heck of a pitching coach, especially at the big league level,” Marney said. “The name of the game is getting outs, and Michael knows how to do that. And he knows how to explain it in a way that connects with guys.”
Fulmer and Marney share an understanding: As long as Fulmer is playing, he can’t be involved in the day-to-day operations. Marney has no qualms with that dynamic, and he wants Fulmer to play as long as possible. With the way he’s pitched in Scottsdale, Fulmer doesn’t look ready to dive into full-time coaching just yet.
“I’ve been pumping air in his tires all offseason,” Houser said. “Physically, his body looks great. He’s working hard every day. He’s increased his shoulder strength to get back to where he needed to be. Watching him put in all that work has been awesome to see.”
Fulmer doesn’t yet know if he’d want to jump straight into coaching whenever his career comes to a close. He’s approaching two decades in the pro game and would like to dedicate real time to his wife and kids when he hangs up his cleats. His attention now, of course, is on pitching for a full season in the majors for the first time since 2023.
But when Fulmer’s career does wind down, Marney knows his co-owner’s impact on the game will extend well beyond what he does on the mound.
“Whenever he’s finished up playing baseball,” Marney said, “he’s going to do a lot of really cool things around Oklahoma City.”